How to hide the signatures of icons on Xiaomi with MIUI 12: the complete guide

Xiaomi’s desktop on the MIUI 12 is often overloaded with visual information — especially annoying with app icons. Even after careful workspace organization, the words “Phone,” “Messages,” or “Camera” spoil the minimalist look. Fortunately, MIUI 12 has several ways to remove these signatures, and not all require root rights or complex manipulation.

In this article, we'll look at 5 working methods, from standard settings to hidden features to third-party utilities, how to hide the text completely under icons, replace it with dots, or even leave only selected signatures, and find out why, after upgrading to MIUI 12.5 or MIUI 13, some methods stop working and what to do about it.

Importantly, not all methods are equally secure, for example, editing system files without a backup can lead to a cyclical reboot of the device, so we will describe the risks in detail and give a checklist to prepare for changes.

Why MIUI 12 doesn’t let you delete icon signatures through settings

Unlike iOS or stock Android, where users can freely customize the desktop look, MIUI 12 limits this feature.

• 🎨 Visual Identification: Xiaomi believes signatures help beginners navigate the interface faster.
• 📱 Uniformity UX: The company is committed to a unified experience across all devices, and the concealment of signatures violates this principle.
• 🔒 Launcher Limits: The standard launcher com.miui.home doesn’t have a built-in option to disable text under icons (unlike Nova Launcher or Apex Launcher).

But these limitations are bypassed, either through hidden settings or through third-party tools, such as MIUI 12.5, which introduces an experimental Minimalist Mode feature that partially solves the problem, but does not work on all devices.

⚠️ Note: Some Xiaomi models (e.g. Redmi Note 9 Pro) POCO X3) If you hide your signatures, you may not be able to drag and drop icons. Before you change them, check if your device supports control gestures, which will help you avoid problems.

Method 1: Using the hidden setting "Minimalistic mode"

This is the safest method, but it doesn't work on all firmware, and the minimalist mode not only hides icon signatures, but also removes folders from the desktop, leaving only widgets and wallpaper, and it activates through the developer's settings:

1. Open Settings → About your phone and tap 7 times on the MIUI version to unlock the developer mode.
2. Return to the main settings menu and select Additional → For developers.
3. Find the option Minimalist Desktop Mode (in English firmware - Minimalist desktop mode) and turn it on.
4. Reset the device.

If you don’t have an option in your MIUI version, try an alternative path:

adb shell settings put global minimalist_desktop_mode 1

This command is executed via ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which will require a computer with Xiaomi drivers installed and USB debugging enabled on the smartphone.

Enable debugging over USB

Install ADB on PC

Download drivers for your Xiaomi model

Make a backup of the desktop (export through the launcher)

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Method 2: Replacement of the standard launcher with a third-party

If the built-in settings don't help, the most reliable way is to install an alternative launcher.

• 🌟 Nova Launcher: Allows you to completely disable icon signatures in Settings → Icons → Icon style → No signatures, supports gestures and adaptive icons.
• 🔹 Apex Launcher: Similar feature hidden in Settings → Appearance → Signatures of icons. Minus - less frequently updated.
• 📱 Hyperion Launcher: Optimized for Xiaomi, has a built-in theme without signatures (Settings) → Topics → Minimalism).

How to determine:

1. Download the launcher’s APK from the official website (for example, Nova Launcher).
2. Install the file by allowing installation from unknown sources (Settings → Applications → Special Access → Install Unknown Applications).
3. Click "Home" and select the new launcher as the main one.

⚠️ Note: Some Xiaomi models (e.g. Redmi) 9A) Third-party launchers can conflict with system services, causing lags when opening the camera or calling. 4PDA.

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If after installing the launcher, system application icons (for example, “Phone” or “Settings”) disappear, restart the device or reset the launcher cache to Settings → Applications → [Luncher name] → Memory → Clear the cache.

Method 3: Editing system files (requires root)

This method is suitable for advanced users, as it requires root rights and system backup, and we will edit the framework-miui-res.apk file, which is responsible for displaying signatures.

Step-by-step:

1. Install Root Explorer or Mixplorer (with superuser mode enabled).
2. Go to /system/framework/ and find the framework-miui-res.apk file.
3. Make sure you are in a safe place (for example, on the SD-map) and rename in framework-miui-res.zip.
4. Unclose the file and open the res/values/ folder. Find the bools.xml file.
5. Change the line. <bool name="config_showIconLabel">true</bool> on <bool name="config_showIconLabel">false</bool>.
6. Save the file, archive the folder back to.zip, rename it to.apk, and replace the original file to /system/framework/.
7. Reset the device.

On Xiaomi models with dynamic partitions, such as the Mi 11 or POCO F3, this method can cause a load failure. Before editing, check the partition structure through the command `adb shell ls -l /dev/block/by-name/` - if there is a partition `super`, use an alternative method.

Method 4: Use ADB-commands without root)

If you don't have root rights but you do have access to ADB, you can try disabling signatures through system settings. This method works on MIUI 12.0.1–12.5.8:

adb shell settings put secure icon_label_style 0


adb shell settings put secure icon_label_size 0

After the commands are executed:

• First line (icon_label_style 0) removes the style of display of signatures.
• Second second (icon_label_size 0) specifies the size of the 0, rendering.

To get it back, use:

adb shell settings delete secure icon_label_style


adb shell settings delete secure icon_label_size

⚠️ Note: On some devices (e.g. Redmi Note 10 Pro), these commands are reset after rebooting. To fix the changes, add them to the initialization script via Magisk or Tasker.

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ADB-commands are the safest way to replace the launcher, but it may not work on custom firmware (e.g. xiaomi.eu or Pixel Experience), where the logic of displaying icons is changed.

Method 5: Install custom firmware (for experienced)

If none of these methods worked, the radical solution is to reflash the device to custom firmware, where the signature problem is solved at the system level.

Firmware process:

1. Unlock the bootloader through the Mi Unlock Tool (requires a binding Mi Account and wait 7-14 days).
2. Install TWRP or OrangeFox Recovery for your model.
3. Download the firmware from the official website (for example, xiaomi.eu) and transfer it to the device.
4. Enter the recavéry, make a full backup (including the data section), then run the firmware.

Warning: Custom firmware will void the warranty and may result in hard brick if the wrong version is selected. Before you start, check the firmware compatibility with your model on the XDA Developers forum.

Frequent problems and their solutions

Even after successful signature suppression, users face side effects, and here are the most common ways to eliminate them:

• 🔄 Signatures return after update: MIUI It resets the launcher settings when you update, and the solution is to disable automatic updates to system applications in Settings. → Annexes → Application management → Three-pointed → Auto-update.
• 📱 Icons moved off or got too big: This is due to a launcher cache reset. Corrected by rebooting or clearing the launcher data (Settings) → Annexes → Launcher → Memory. → Clear the data).
• ⚙️ Desktop gestures do not work: On some firmware (for example, MIUI 12.5 Enhanced) signature hiding conflicts with system gestures. MIUI use ADB sign-off:

adb shell cmd overlay enable com.android.internal.systemui.navbar.gestural

If none of the methods worked, check:

• 🔍 Version MIUI: Some features are only available on Global or China Stable firmware.
• 🛠️ Updates: in new versions MIUI 13/14 The problem can be corrected at the system level.
• 📦 Conflicts with topics: some topics from the topic → Online, forced captions. Try resetting the subject to standard.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions